Tag : vocalists

March 9, 2018

Queen Esther Sings Billie Holiday: The Rare Sides Saturday, April 7th — TWO SETS 7:30pm & 9:30pm Minton’s Harlem 206 W. 118th St. 212 243 2222 Musicians: Hilliard Greene, double bass Patience Higgins, tenor sax Dan Rosengard, piano Warren Smith, drums Queen Esther pays tribute to Lady Day on her 1o3rd birthday with a suite of rare sides, reimagined performances, stories and soundbites to offer her take on what most critics consider to the greatest jazz vocalist of the 20th century. A versatile and charismatic performer with a four octave range, not to mention the Grand Prize winner of the 2008 Jazzmobile Vocal Competition, Queen Esther continues to perform internationally with her mentor harmelodic guitarist James “Blood” Ulmer in various projects, including his iconic free jazz group Odyssey, as she forges her own sonic path with her jazz collective and her Black Americana outfit The Blue Crowns. Released in 2015, her critically acclaimed album The Other Side – “…the most exciting Afro-Americana album of the year.” (Paste) – is garnering airplay worldwide. Recent performance highlights include: Under The Cherry Parade in a Day (You Sexy MF):Burnt Sugar Arkestra Freaks Prince’s Post Purple Rain Songbook at The David Rubenstein Atrium/Lincoln Center; Hot Jazz Age: From the First Jazz Recording to the Dawn of Swing at Dizzy’s/Lincoln Center; the afterparty for Jason and Alicia Hall Moran’s Forever Gershwin at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC; and the 12th bi-annual Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governor’s Island.